The Importance of Unmanned Surface Vehicles is Growing Rapidly
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עברית (Hebrew)
Israel’s need to protect its shores against threats from Gaza and Lebanon, combined with the need to protect the newly discovered offshore gas reserve, serves as a catalyst for the local development of USVs – Unmanned Surface Vehicles.
Their development still lags behind their airborne cousins, the UAVs (Unmanned Aeriel Vehicles), as far as technical capabilities, technology and deployment options are concerned. International survey and consulting firm Frost and Sullivan, however, found that new threats, excellent cost to beneit ratios and new technologies are the driving force behind this quickly developing market. USVs could replace manned ships not only for defense purposes, but also for homeland security and other civilian uses: monitoring sailing boats, law enforcement (drug smuggling, piracy) and the enforcement of environmental and fishing regulations.
When protecting and securing a strategic facility at sea USVs can fill all the roles required by an overall security solution – including situational awareness, monitoring and identification, verification and notification, and finally threat neutralization. Another important advantage of USVs over manned vehicles is the fact that they can be launched from beaches, patrol boats and from the facilities they protect.
Israel, described by Frost and Sullivan as the world’s largest exporter of UAVs, is not neglecting USV development. Israel’s main priority is defending against asymmetric threats (otherwise harmless-looking vehicles whose real purpose is to attack military and civilian targets), while also protecting its newly discovered offshore gas reserves. Israeli companies already developed and sold vehicles of this type, such as the Rafael Protector used by the IDF, the Elbit Silver Marlin and the Aeronautics SeaStar – the last two based on Israel Aerospace Industries platforms.
Yaki Baranes, consultant for Frost and Sullivan’s security division in Europe and Israel, says USVs dramatically reduce the cost of manned patrols and reduce the risk to crews. According to him USVs can approach other boats to check whether they are a civilian or military threat – such as boats used by pirates or by illegal immigrants – and alert manned patrols only when necessary.
